By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday it was extending prohibitions barring U.S. flights to the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince through March 7, citing risks from armed groups to civil aviation.
In November, the FAA temporarily halted all flights to Haiti but later allowed U.S. flights to resume to six other airports in northern Haiti after three U.S. commercial jetliners were struck by gunfire. the restrictions had been set to expire next week.
U.S. planes can transit over Port-au-Prince above 10,000 feet (3,048 m).
The agency last year allowed American carriers and general aviation pilots to resume flights to six airports in Haiti: Port-de-Paix, Cap-Haitien, Pignon, Jeremie, Antoine-Simon and Jacmel.
The FAA said on Friday that armed groups continue to control nearly 90% of Port-au-Prince and the immediate surrounding strategic routes and border areas. Since March, there has been at least one instance of likely Haitian groups directing small arms fire at low-flying aircraft.
Since last year, groups have used small arms to fire on civilian aircraft, helicopters and airports that damaged multiple aircraft and injured an air crew member.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )
